Gas-liquid phase separator

Abstract

A device for separating gas and liquid from a mixture of gas and liquid phases includes a fluid guide member comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connected by a conduit configured as an elongated spiral disposed about an axis. A liquid coalescing medium is disposed on an exterior surface of the fluid guide radially outward from the elongated spiral conduit with respect to the axis. The separator also includes a plurality of radial channels providing radial flow paths for fluid from the elongated spiral conduit to the coalescing medium.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for separating gas and liquid from a mixture comprising gas and liquid phases, comprising
 a fluid guide member comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connected by a conduit configured as an elongated spiral disposed about an axis; 
 a liquid coalescing medium disposed on an exterior surface of the fluid guide radially outward from the elongated spiral conduit with respect to the axis; 
 a plurality of radial channels providing radial flow paths for fluid from the elongated spiral conduit to the coalescing medium. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coalescing medium comprises a first screen mesh layer, and a second screen mesh layer radially outward from the first screen mesh layer and having a finer mesh size than the first screen mesh layer. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a third screen mesh layer disposed between the first and second screen mesh layers and having a finer mesh size than the first screen mesh layer and a courser mesh size than the second. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 3 , wherein the first screen mesh layer has a mesh size of 20 μm to 50 μm, the second screen mesh layer has a mesh size of 1 μm to 5 μm, and the third screen mesh layer has a mesh size of 5 μm to 20 μm. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing disposed about the fluid guide configured to provide a chamber between the liquid coalescing medium and the housing for collection of liquid from a radially outer surface of the coalescing medium, and a liquid outlet from the chamber. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the radial channels have a larger cross-sectional area at the interface with the spiral conduit and a smaller cross-sectional area at the interface with the coalescing medium. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coalescing medium includes a plurality of grooves parallel to the axis at a radially outer surface of the coalescing medium. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the guide member is configured to receive fluid flow in a direction parallel to the axis, and further comprises guide vanes to redirect axial fluid flow at the fluid inlet to a circumferential fluid flow direction into the elongated spiral conduit. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow inlet is configured to receive fluid flow in a direction perpendicular to the axis and parallel to the elongated spiral conduit at the fluid inlet. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 1 , disposed in a microgravity environment. 
     
     
       11. A heat transfer system, comprising a heat transfer fluid flow loop that comprises:
 an evaporator heat exchanger comprising a heat absorption side comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for the heat transfer fluid, the evaporator configured to absorb heat from a conditioned space to vaporize a liquid phase of the heat transfer fluid; 
 a condenser heat exchanger comprising a heat rejection side comprising a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator heat absorption side outlet, and a fluid outlet for the heat transfer fluid, the condenser configured to reject heat to a heat sink to condense a gas phase of the heat transfer fluid; 
 a gas-liquid separator, comprising
 a fluid guide member comprising a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the condenser heat rejection side outlet, and a fluid outlet, the fluid inlet and fluid outlet connected by a conduit configured as an elongated spiral disposed about an axis; 
 a liquid coalescing medium disposed on an exterior surface of the fluid guide radially outward from the elongated spiral conduit with respect to the axis; 
 a plurality of radial channels providing radial flow paths for fluid from the elongated spiral conduit to the coalescing medium; and 
 
 a pump comprising a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the fluid guide member fluid outlet, and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the evaporator heat absorption side inlet. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , disposed in a microgravity environment. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a fluid bypass around the gas-liquid separator, providing fluid communication between the condenser heat rejection side fluid outlet and the pump inlet. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the coalescing medium comprises a first screen mesh layer, and a second screen mesh layer radially outward from the first screen mesh layer and having a finer mesh size than the first screen mesh layer. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a third screen mesh layer disposed between the first and second screen mesh layers and having a finer mesh size than the first screen mesh layer and a courser mesh size than the second. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first screen mesh layer has a mesh size of 20 μm to 50 μm, the second screen mesh layer has a mesh size of 1 μm to 5 μm, and the third screen mesh layer has a mesh size of 5 μm to 20 μm. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a housing disposed about the fluid guide configured to provide a chamber between the liquid coalescing medium and the housing for collection of liquid from the mixture, the housing further comprising a liquid outlet. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the radial channels have a larger cross-sectional area at the interface with the spiral conduit and a smaller cross-sectional area at the interface with the coalescing medium. 
     
     
       19. A method of separating gas and liquid from a mixture comprising gas and liquid phases, comprising introducing the mixture to the fluid inlet of the device of  claim 1 , receiving a gas-depleted phase at a radially outer surface of the coalescing medium, and receiving a liquid-depleted phase at the fluid outlet. 
     
     
       20. A method of separating gas and liquid from a mixture comprising gas and liquid phases, comprising introducing the mixture to the fluid inlet of the device of  claim 1  in microgravity conditions, receiving a gas-depleted phase at a radially outer surface of the coalescing medium, and receiving a liquid-depleted phase at the fluid outlet.